Car construction



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 11, 1930. G. E. couTANT om cqnsrnucnon Filed Doc. 5, 1928 s mh.

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March 11, 1930. G. E. couTAN-r CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed nec. 5, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March ll, 1930. s. E. couTANT A GAR GGNSTRUCTION Filod Dec. 5. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 11, -1930 GEORGE E. COUTANT; F DECATKUR, ILLINOIS CAR CONSTRUCTION Application inea December 5, 192s. serial No. 323,807.

This invention relates to improvements in car construction. Y Y

One object ofthe invention is to provide simple and eiiicient means for supporting the buifer platform and ldiaphragm face plate of railway cars, whereby the parts will accommodate themselves to the required movement with respect to the car end and platform with out noise and unnecesasry vibrations.

Another object of the invention is to provide meansA for supporting the usual buffer platform and face plate from the end and platform of a vestibule car, which permits the necessary movements of the buffer platform and diaphragm face' plate longitudinally and laterally of the car without binding or unnecessary vibration, thereby eliminating jarring and noise.

A more specific object of the invention vis to providesupporting means for the buffer platform and vestibule diaphragm face plate of railway cars, including links or supporting arms pivoted to the end of the car and the car p latformt'o swing in horizontal planes and pivoted to means having sliding engagement with the buffer platform and diaphragm face plate in a lateral direction, the arms being yieldingly urged outwardly to maintain the buffer platform and the diaphragm in eX- tended'position.

Other and further objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings formingV a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an end elevational View of the buffer platform and diaphragm face plate and associated parts of a railway car of the vestibule type., Figure 2 is a partial top planl view and partial horizontal sectional view at the top of the'face plate shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a horizontal sec-1y tional view, corresponding substantially to the line 3 3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a vertical, sectionalview, corresponding substantially to the line 1 -4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a vertical, sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 5 5 of Figure 3. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3,1paitly broken away, illustrating a dierent embodi- 5 melt of the invention. And Figure-7 is a vertical, sectional view, partly broken away, corresponding substantially to the line 7 7 of Figure 6.

Referring first to the embodiment of the in.- vention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the usual platform at one end of a vestibule type of railway car is designated by 10, and 11 is a buffer stem of well known form which cooperates with the buffer platform. The buffer stem has its inward movement yieldingly resisted by the buflng mechanism proper, not shown, the sam-ebeing of any well known construction. The vestibule of the car is provided with the commonly employed form of diaphragm, not shown, attached to the car end and having a diaphragm face plate. I

In carrying out my invention, I employ a platform underframe structure 12, having a buffer stem opening 13, a buffer platform 14 and a diaphragm face plate 15 fixed thereto.

The diaphragm face plate 15 is of the usual construction,`having a horizontal top section and vertical side sections formed integral therewith which are fixed to the buffer plat- 7" form 14. The buffer platform 14 is provided with the usual pocket or seat 16 which accommodates the front end of the buffer stem 1l. The platform underframe l2 comprises a casting having pockets 17-17 formed at opposite sides of the buffer stein guide opening 13. A pair of arms 18-18 are pivotally supported at their inner. ends in the pockets 17, each arm being provided with a substantially' cylindrical inner end portion 19 provided with an outer circular wall and an inner hub portion 20. An annular opening is thus pio vided between the hub portion and t-he wall s 19, the opening being closed at the upper end by the top wall 21 of the cylindrical end por-V tion of the arm. The hub portion 2O is provided with a vertical pivot opening 22 which receives the pivot pin 23, having the lower end seated in a ring 24 inountedin an opening in the lower wall of the corresponding pocket 17. The pivot pin 23 is headed at the upper end, the head being disposed within a ring 25 seated in an opening in the top wall of the pocket.y Vear plates 26-26 are interposed between the cylindrical end portion of each cylindrical portion.

lever 18 and the top and bottom walls of theV The spring is so arranged that it tends to hold the Vouter end of the corresponding arm away from the fixed platform of the car, the spring being placed under tension when the arm is swung inwardly.

l The'outer end of each arm 18 is provided Y with a bifurcated portion 87 havin-g vverti cally alined pivot pin receiving openings 28 in the arms thereof.v This end of the lever is connected/co a slide 29 comprising a platelilre portion having an upstanding ear 8O provided with a pivot opening adapted to receive a pivot pin 31 extending through then same and the openings 28-28 of the arms of the bifurcated Vportion 87. The plate-like portion 29 of the slide is connectedto a rela.- tively wider plate-like member 32' which is slidingly supported in a guideway 33 composed of a plate member having inturned top and bottom edges forming theouter'walls of the guideway. The plate-likeguide member 33 is secured tothe vertical wall of the buffer platform 14 by means of bolts or any other well known securing elements. evident the slide is thus mounted for `transverseA movement with respect tothe buffer platformV in a substantially horizontal path.

As most clearly shown in Figure 3, the arms 18 of the two supporting llinks normally diverge laterally outwardlyand are heldin their extended position by the vsprings 27. When in this'position, the buffer stem 11 Vis also in bearing engagement with the end wall of the pocket 16 on the buffer platform. As shown in the drawings, a Wear plate is preferably interposed between the front end of Vthe buffer stem 11 and the inner wall ofthe pocket,

The diaphragm face plate 15 is provided with a guide member 34 at the top edge thereof, `the guide memberbeing inthe form of a plate secured to the inner side of the diaphragm face plate by means of bolts. Theplate forming the guide member 84 has the top and bottom edge portions thereof bent inwardly and downwardl atv their extremities to provide top and ot-tom vguide flanges -35 spaced from the main body portion of the plate. 1

A slide 36is mounted within the guide member 34and is composed of a pair of plates 37 and 38, theA plate 87 having. laterally extending top and bottom flanges overhanging v the topand bottom edges of the plate 38.1

` top and bottom horizontally extending porshown in Figure 4.

It will bev i con stant elevation.

A pair of supporting links or arms 40-40 I Y i aresecured to the end structure of the car at D the top thereof by means of U-shaped bracket members. 41-441. EachV bracket member 41 comprises. avertically disposed plate-like section secured to the end portion of the car by rivets or any suitable securing means, and

tions provided with alined pivot pinfreceiving openings.'v The inner end of each arm 40 is provided with a cylindrical pivot pinreceiving portion 42 adapted to accommodate Y a coiled spring V43. The portion 42 is pivot'ally connected to the corresponding bracket 41l byA means ofa vertically disposed 'pivot Y pin 44 extending through the top wallt ofV 1 the cylindrical pivotal portionof'the' arm 40 and thealined vopenings in the top and bottom sections of the bracket. One end portion of the coiled spring'43 is secured in an opening ofl the top Wall ofthe cylindrical portion 42 and the vother end is-*fixed tothe bottomsection of the bracket, as most` clearlyV At theV outer end, eacliarm. 40 is provided with anY opening havingl a bushing 45 mounted therein adapted toform ay bearing for af pivot pin 46 extending through the same andr thelugs 39 of the slide 36.

As will be evident, the springs 43vmain-tain: i Y

the', arms 40 yieldingly in th'efvpositionv shown in rFigure 2 andv the parts are sov proportioned that when these armsand the-arms 18. which support the VbufferV kplatform are in= their outermost position the diaphragm face plate 15 will be disposed lin a substantially vertical plane. The` pivotal `supports, for

the arms 18 and 40 are so disposedthat the arms will alwaysfswing in horizontal planes, thereby maintaining the bufferV platform and the diaphragm faceplate at a When 'two' cars are coupled together and the buffer platforms 14 thereofare' brought into abutment, the buffer platform and the attached diaphragm face plate'will be forcedY *Y inwardly Vto a certain extent, thereby swingl ing the arms 18 `and 40 inwardlyand placing the springs under tension. During operation of the cars,vwhen the same'are subjected to? f draft and buffingshocks, the vbufferplatform.l Avtogether with the diaphragm faceplate of each car, will be movedl inwardly and out-4 substantially wardly with respect tothe corresponding endv "Y of the car.v This.` movement will. be opposedE during buffby the buirig mechanism` con@4 nectedwith the buffer stem Z119-and alsol by the springpressed arms 18= and 40.V

During the Vmovementfof the buifer plat-fV Y i' form and face. plate towardthe car, the' arms 18 and y4() will swing on. vtheir pivots, the necessary lateral movementof therout'er endsi of these arms with respect to the buffer platform and face plate being accommodated by the slides to which the outer ends of the arms yare pivotally connected. VThe slides coinnected to the arms 18 will move laterally outwardly while the slides connected to the arms 40 will be moved laterally inwardly during the approach of thebuffer platform and face plate toward the car end.

Y By the arrangement provided, there is no play between the parts and therefore there is no pounding or rattling. The pivotal connections of the arms provide for an easy swinging movement of the same and the slides accommodate the necessary lateral movement of the outer ends of the arms without appreciable binding effect, thereby practically eliminatingall noise during the operation of the parts. As will be evident, the arrangement-ofgsupporting levers and other connections provides, in addition to the inward approach of the buer platform and diaphragm face plate, the necessary angular movement of these parts when the cars are operated over curved track.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, 50 indicates the usual platform at the end of the vestibule type of railway cars, and 51 is a buffer stem which cooperates with the buffer platform and is slidable in an opening in the casting forming the underframe of the platform.

Inward movement of the buffer stem 51 is resisted by the usual buliing mechanism` proper, not shown. The buer platform, which is indicated by 52, issupported by a pair of pivoted arms 53-53 which are connected by vertical pivots 54-54 to the underframe of the platform structure. As shown in Figure 7, the end portion of the underframe is provided with top and bottom walls connected by a vertical end wall, and the pivot pins 54 extend through said top and bottom walls being mounted in bearing rings 55-55 disposed in openings in said top and bottom walls. The inner end of each arm 53 is forked, as shown in Figure 7, and the arms of the fork engage above and below the end portion of the platform underframe structure. The bottom end of each pivot pin 54 is disposed in a bushing or ring 56 mounted in an opening in the bottom arm of the fork and the head of the pin is mounted in a similar ring 57 disposed in an opening in the top arm of said fork. At the outer end, each arm 53 is pivotally connected to a slide 58 in all respects similar to the slide 32 described in connection with Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, the outer end of each arm being forked and the slide being provided` with a lug and a pivot pin extending through the arms of the fork and the lug. The slide 58 is mounted in a guideway 59 similar to the guide member shown'infconnection with the embodiment in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive. Inward movement of the arms 53 on their pivots is resisted by spring means, one of said spring means being shown at the lefthand side of Figure. 6 associated with the corresponding arm 53. This means comprises ahelical spring 60 having the inner end seated in a pocket 61 formed on the underframe casting. A spring follower 62 is also pivoted on the pin which connects the outer end of the arm 53 to the slide 58, the lug on the slide being bifurcated and the spring follower being provided with a pivot lug 63 which is disposed between the top and bottom members of said bifurcated lug. The spring follower bears directly on the outer end of the spring 60 and has a cylindrical stem 64 extending into the spring to keep the parts alined.

It will be understood thatthe buffer platform 52 has the usual diaphragm face plate structure connected thereto and that any suitable supporting means is employed to connect the top portion of theV diaphragm faceplate to the end of the car, means similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, being preferably used.

The operation of the device shown in Figures 6 and 7 is substantially the same as that of the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive. Vhen the cars are coupled together, the diaphragm face plates and the bufferA platforms of adjacent cars are in engagement and the springs are placed under initial compression. In service, the buffer platform and the attached diaphragm face plate will partake of the necessary lateral swinging movement during operation ofcars on curved track and the inward movement of the buHer platform and diaphragm face plate, due to buiiing shocks and vibrations, will also be accommodated by the swinging movement of the arms 53 and the sliding movement of the outer ends of the same, the inward bufIing movement of the parts being opposed by the springs 6() and the bufting stem 51.

While I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway car, the combination with a buffer platform and a diaphragm face plate `top and bottom pairs of arms for supporting said platform and face plate; means for pivotally supporting each pair of arms on the car proper for swinging movement in reverse directions; and means pivotally connected to said top arms, having a sliding connection with the face plate, and means pivotally connected to the bottom pair of arms having sliding connection with the platform.

2. In a railway-car, the'combinationwi'th a bu'er platform member anda diaphragm face plate member; of arms connected' to the car proper for pivotal movement in horizon-y1 tal planes, said arms having a sli-ding pivotalvv connection with said members.

3. In a railway carfthe Combination with a buffer platform member and a diaphragm face plate member; of a pair of arms .supporting each member, said arms being pivotally connected to the car proper to swing in horizontal planes. Y y

4. In a' railway ear, the Combination withV a buer platform member and a diaphragm face plate member fixed to said platform `member; of av pair of arms having sliding pivotal connection with each of said members; and meansfor supporting said arms from the oar body properfor swinging movement in horizontal-planes.r 5. In a railway car, the Combination" with a buffer platform member and a diaphragm face Aplate member fixed thereto; of a pairof arms pivotally connected tol means having sliding engagement with one of said members; means for supporting` said arms on the car proper f-or movement in av horizontal plane; and' means for yieldingly forcing said arms to swing away from the Car body proper 6. In a railway car, the Combination with a buffing member; of a pair of arms pivot-'ed to the car proper to swing in horizontal planes; means forjyieldingly forcing said arms to swing away from the car proper; and means for connecting said arms to said member. 1

.7. In a railway car; thecombination'with a` hurling member; of a pair of armsfor support ingisaid'member, said arms being pivoted at their inner Yends toI the oar proper to swing inhorizontah planes; yielding` means for swinging said; arms outwardly.; a sli-de pivotally connectedy to the outerend of each arm; and guide means on said member'cooperat-V ing with each of said slides'for guiding the same in a horizontal path in a plane transversely of said member.

8'. In a railway car, the Combination with a bufling member; of a pair of guideways on y said-member; a slide transversely movable on saidy memberin a horizontal path in each guideway; supporting arms having their outer ends pivotally supported Yforswinging movement on said slides; means for'pivotally supporting said arms at their inner ends on the car proper for movement in horizontal planes; and spring means yieldingly opposing inward swingingmovement of said arms to-' ward thecar proper.

" 9. In a railway car;.thefcombination with a hurling Vplatform member and a firiedplatform structure ;,of a pair of arms pivoted at their inner ends onlsaid platform structure to swingV in horizontal planes; vmeans for yieldingly lforcing said arms to swing out- 'wardly; and means pivotally connected to the outer' end of each arm, having a' sliding connection with said member.

10. In a'railway car,-thecombination with a fxedear platform member and a vbufliiig m platformv member; of a pair of arms, each of said arms being pivotally supported at'the inner end on said` fixed platform member to swing in a horizontal plane; a ooiled spring disposed about thelpivotal center of each arml and having one end fixed tio the arm and the other end fixed to the fixed platform' member..

to swing said arm away from the fixed platform member; a slide ConnectedA to thev outer end of each arm by a vertically ldisposedpivot; and guide means on the bi'i'ing-platforni soV member for each slide, guiding the s'amefor lateral' movement in a horizontal path.

vIn .witness that claim the foregoing lV have hereunto subscribedr my. nametliis 26th day of November 1928 y s y f GEORGE CQU'ANT. 

